Various resin systems are known to be related to use in thermal transfer systems. Polyvinyl chloride is one such resin. The use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in an image receptor layer or sheet is well known. It has been used typically in dye sublimation transfer systems, and also in thermal mass transfer systems. It is often disclosed as one of several resins workable in dye image receptors. No disclosures have discussed the use of PVC as the resin system for a dye donor construction.
Receptor substrates normally have surface modifying treatments to alter opacity, smoothness, adhesion of subsequent coatings, and tint and dye adsorption. When used as a coating, PVC typically is used with an additional resin, and most always with a plasticizer. Examples of the use of PVC as a receptor in thermal dye transfer applications are EP 227091, EP 228066, EP 133011, EP 133012, and EP 22806.
PVC can be used alone, or can be compounded with additional resins for desired properties. PVC is normally a rigid resin. To alter the physical properties of the polymer, low molecular weight substances called plasticizers are often added to the polymer formulation.
Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) is a modified monomer resin. CPVC is a homo-polymer of polyvinyl chloride that has been subjected to a chlorination reaction which replaces hydrogen atoms in PVC with chlorine atoms. CPVC has many of the desirable physical properties of PVC and retains them at significantly higher temperatures. The use of chlorinated polyvinyl chloride in thermal dye transfer, or even a thermal mass transfer application is novel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,584,576 describes a heat sensitive stencil sheet comprising a film adhered to a porous thin fibrous sheet. The stencil sheet is perforated by exposure to infrared rays. The film consists essentially of at least 75% by weight of a chlorinated polyvinylchloride resin, the balance being a polyvinyl chloride resin. A colorant may also be present in the film. Upon being heated by infrared radiation, the film melts and forms perforations. The pores in the remaining fibrous sheet enable stencilling to be done through the perforations and the sheet.